Of Drama and Romance
by Unexpected-Adventures
Summary: Watch as events dramatically unfold in the lives of the young Harry Potter characters... Soap Opera Style! A Short Story for Round 6 of Quidditch League Writing Competition!


******Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters/story lines that belong to it, all credit goes to God-Queen Rowling!**

* * *

**This is a short story I wrote for Round 6 of the Quidditch League Writing Competition.  
I am Chaser 2 for the Caerphilly Catapults!**

**Inspiration: Soap Opera Style  
Prompts: Audience, Trap, Dialogue: "The curse has been in our family for six generations."**

* * *

"I can't believe it's been five years since the war ended," Ginny remarked lightly to Harry, her head resting on his lap.

"I can," Harry smirked, running an absentminded hand through her fire-red hair.

They lay on their bed relaxing in their new apartment, bought by Harry using the money inherited from his parents and Sirius.

That day was to mark five years since Voldemort had been defeated in the Battle of Hogwarts. To celebrate and remember those how had been lost, there was to be a party of sorts held at Hogwarts.

Ginny sighed happily and her hand ran down to rest on her stomach, which was slightly swollen due to the baby now growing inside her, of which her husband had failed to notice.

She had been debating on when to tell Harry she was pregnant, but whenever she had tried to break the news it never seemed to be the right time.

"Harry?" Ginny began tentatively.

"Mm?"

"Do you think… do you think we should have bought a bigger apartment?" she asked, trying to steer him in the right direction.

"Why would we do that?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know," Ginny shrugged, "For future plans…"

Harry frowned and put the magazine he had been reading on the bedside table, leaning down so that his mouth was inches from hers.

"I know it's been five years since Voldemort died," Harry said softly, "But for now, I'm happy it being just you and me."

Harry kissed her softly and sat back up, returning to his magazine.

Ginny gave a nervous smile and sighed, "Right… just you and me…"

* * *

"Who is she?"

Draco looked up from his hands, which he had been nervously wringing under the table, and stared at his mother.

"I don't know what you mean," Draco shrugged as casually as he could.

"Don't toy with me Draco," Narcissa said, a slight bite in her voice, "You summoned me here for a reason, and I can only assume it is about a certain woman you have been seeing lately."

Draco frowned – had his sneaking around really been that obvious?

"I- yes, that's true," Draco said stiffly, "And I only ask your permission because I respect you, mother."

The slightest of smiles pulled at the corner of Narcissa's blood red mouth and her expression softened.

Draco steeled himself and took a deep breath, "I wish to ask Hermione Granger to marry me."

* * *

"Really Ron," Hermione sighed in annoyance, "That's your fourth piece of cake today!"

Ron looked up from his plate guiltily, the crumbs of the chocolate cake still sticking to the corners of his mouth.

"What in the name of Merlin is wrong?" she asked her boyfriend, taking a seat opposite him.

Ron shook his head quickly and shrugged, "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

Hermione stared at him for a few more moments, her brow furrowing into a frown. But she seemed to give up on getting anything out of him, and sighed and left the room, leaving Ron looking after her in remorse, deep in thought.

* * *

_"Katie! Katie please wait!"_

_"No Ron!"_

_"Katie please listen-"_

_"No!"_

_Katie Bell spun around on her heel, her brown hair whipping her face in the cool night air._

_"I won't listen to you Ron!" she yelled, tears beginning to swell in her eyes, "I won't hear you tell me you love me!"_

_"But I _do_ love you Katie-"_

_"Then why are you still with her?" _

_"Because- because… it's complicated I-"_

_"How can you tell me you love me and still go home to another woman?"_

_"I'm ending it I swear," Ron said desperately, "Just give me time – Hermione's not just my girlfriend, she's one of my best friends!"_

_"How can you expect me to fall into that trap?" Katie asked incredulously, tears now streaming down her face, "And be the idiot girl who broke up Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger?"_

_"No one will think of you as that," Ron spluttered._

_"Yes they will – I'll be the _whore_ you cheated with-"_

_At that word Ron growled in frustration and leapt forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and catching her lips in a rough passionate kiss._

_When he broke apart from her Katie staggered a little, her breath momentarily taken away and all words stolen from her mouth._

_"I love you, Katie Bell," Ron whispered, "And if never speaking to Hermione again is what it takes for you to accept that then I'll do it."_

* * *

Hermione looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, tilting her head slightly and pursing her lips at her reflection.

Five years ago she never would never have seen herself in this kind of a predicament; torn between two men.

When she had first kissed Ron during the Battle of Hogwarts she thought that was it for her, that she would marry Ron and live happily ever after – but real life was a lot more complicated than that.

She had never intended to fall for another man. But there was some sort of a thrill she felt whenever she was with him, and Ron thought she was working. Whenever she was pressed against his chest in the heat of the moment and not Ron's.

Never in a million years would she have expected falling in love with Draco Malfoy – but it had happened.

* * *

"Are we ready to go?" Harry called out from the living room of Ron and Hermione's apartment.

He and Ron had been waiting quite a considerable amount of time for Ginny and Hermione to be ready, and both men were growing quite impatient.

"Almost!" Ginny's voice echoed out of the bathroom, "We're supposed to be waiting for Neville and Katie to get here though!"

"Who?" Ron asked with a frown, and Harry noted he looked suddenly flushed.

"Neville and Katie – we're apparating with them to Hogwarts," Harry explained, watching his best friend carefully, "That's alright isn't it?"

"What-? Oh yeah sure," Ron said shakily, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"Okay, ready!" Ginny said in a bright singsong voice, walking out to where they sat.

Harry stood up immediately and took in his beautiful wife. She had her hair pinned to the side and running down her shoulder in tendrils, and she wore a gold dress that highlighted her deep brown eyes.

"You look gorgeous, love," Harry beamed, kissing her on the cheek.

"Thank you," she smiled back, adjusting his tie.

Hermione shortly followed, looking just as stunning, but it seemed her boyfriend wasn't as easy to impress.

"Ron!" Ginny snapped at her brother reproachfully, as he was gazing pointedly away from Hermione.

"What?" Ron asked innocently, and took in his sister like Harry had, "Ginny, have you gained some weight?"

"Ron!" this time it was Harry and Hermione's turn to yell at him.

"How could you be so inconsiderate?" Hermione growled, turning to Ginny, but was surprised to see she did not look offended.

"I think I have," she nodded solemnly, her hand moving to her growing stomach.

"Oh my god!" Hermione gasped, her hands covering her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, looking from Hermione to Ginny in confusion.

"Harry," Ginny said tentatively, taking Harry's hand in hers, "I'm pregnant."

"You're _what_?"

"Hermione! Hermione!"

For a split second Harry forgot about the news his wife had just broken to him and concentrated on the owner of the new voice that was now bursting through the apartment.

"Draco?" Hermione spluttered, her face quickly flushing.

"Hermione," Draco ran forward past Ron, who had stood up with a growl, and grabbed Hermione.

"Thank god I found you before you left," Draco breathed heavily, pushing a lock of his slick hair out of his face.

"Why? Draco what's going on?" Hermione asked, hinting with her eyes that her current boyfriend was present.

"I don't care anymore Hermione," Draco said breathlessly, "I've already discussed it with my mother and you know what she told me?"

Hermione was lost for words, looking around guiltily at her boyfriend and two friends.

"She told me 'this curse has been in our family for six generations,'" Draco repeated, "The curse of having to keep this bloody line Pure!"

"Draco I-"

"But I don't care anymore," he repeated, "I want everyone to know that I am in love with you Hermione Granger!"

As they all watched, Draco Malfoy got down on one knee and pulled out a silver box from his jacket pocket, offering it to Hermione.

"And you would make me the happiest man on earth if you would be my wife."

_Crack!_

Two figures apparated right in the middle of the scene, which had turned deafeningly silent.

"Sorry we're late Neville wanted to see his parents-"

Katie Bell and Neville Longbottom stopped, looking around at their group of friends to one of the strangest sights you could see.

There was Ginny and Harry on one side – Ginny with her hand protectively on her stomach and Harry close to her with a pale face. Then there was Ron, who looked crossed between murderous and confused. And possibly the strangest of all was Hermione and Draco, both of whom looked quite flushed.

"Did we interrupt something?" Neville asked nervously, eyeing each of his old schoolmates.

"Hermione?" Ron began timidly, "Have you- have you been cheating on me?"

Hermione stared at Ron, but she didn't deny it.

"Oh, Ron I- I'm sorry I don't-" she spluttered through a reply, but Ron quickly silenced her.

"We both know this isn't working, don't we?" he asked her quietly, and Hermione's eyes widened and she nodded slowly, "Hermione I have to be honest I haven't been faithful either… I- I'm in love with someone else."

There was a collective gasp around the room; so dramatic you would have thought there was an audience watching them.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione sighed, "You'll always be my best friend… maybe we should leave it there?"

Ron nodded and slowly a smile crept onto his face and he turned to Katie, who was closely watching the scene unfold.

"I told you I would do it, didn't I?" he asked her, stepping closer with each word, "And now everyone should know- that I'm in love with you Katie Bell."

"Oh, Ron! I love you too!" Katie beamed and ran forward to plant her lips on his passionately, wrapping her arms tight around his neck so that he could spin her around.

"So what do you say Hermione?" Draco said, still kneeling in front of Hermione, "Will you marry me?"

Hermione looked behind her to Ginny, who beamed and nodded encouragingly, and her hands wound in her hair nervously.

"Yes," she nodded finally, a smile spreading over her face, "Of course I'll marry you Draco."

Draco grinned wider than anyone had ever seen him do so and he took her hand in his and slipped a golden ring onto her thin shaking finger.

"I love you Hermione Granger."

"I love you too," she smiled and laughed, falling forward into Draco and kissing him slowly and avidly.

"Well this all escalated quickly," Harry breathed out, looking incredulously around the room and then turning to face his wife.

"Harry I-" Ginny began.

"No, Ginny," Harry said quickly, "I know I said the other day that I like it being just you and me… but now that I know you're pregnant…"

"Yes?"

"I couldn't be happier," he grinned, rubbing her arm with his hand, "You have made me the luckiest man in the world, and now we're going to have a baby."

"We're going to have a baby," Ginny nodded, happy tears welling in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around her husband, her face falling into the crook of his neck.

"I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Harry."

Harry smiled and sighed happily, holding Ginny tighter in his arms. Over her shoulder he could see all of his friends talking and laughing with one another, peaceful and happy – for now at least.


End file.
